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Diego Simeone would be branded 'boring' in Premier League, says Sam Allardyce

Diego Simeone head coach of Atletico Madrid reacts during the UEFA Champions League semi final first leg match v Bayern Munich
Image: Diego Simeone's defensive style would not go down well in the Premier League, according to Sam Allardyce

Sam Allardyce believes Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone would be branded "boring" in the Premier League.

The Sunderland manager watched Simeone's side produce a superb defensive display in their 1-0 Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. 

Allardyce has seen his side tighten up defensively in recent weeks, claiming three clean sheets from their last four matches to help lift themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The 61-year-old has faced criticism in the past for a perceived negative approach to the game and he feels Simeone's style would not be fully appreciated in England. 

"Seeing Atletico Madrid last night, how they played and how they then defended what they had against a side that is one of the favourites to win the Champions League and is well ahead in the German league," he said. 

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Allardyce thinks his side are playing well enough to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

"It's an art, defending - everybody has forgotten that - it's a tactical art to be able to sense danger and block people's crosses and get your toe in without fouling them now, and they are very, very good at it indeed.

"The whole team buys into it. You see Fernando Torres on the edge of his own box defending - you never saw that at Liverpool or Chelsea.

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"That's how good the manager is and that's why they are successful. They are successful because they concede fewer goals than everybody else and only need one to win in.

Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal battles for the ball with Jermain Defoe of Sunderland
Image: Sunderland claimed a goalless draw against Arsenal last Sunday, a point which lifted them out of the relegation zone

"Now, everybody can say, 'Well, that's not entertaining', but everybody is eulogising Simeone's tactics now. I wouldn't think they would do that in the Premier League so much. 'He's boring this guy, he defends too much' - that's what he'd get here.

"At the moment, if we keep those clean sheet ratios going in the next four games, I am convinced we will stay up."

But with only four matches remaining in their season, Allardyce says Sunderland must also be prepared to take risks in order to secure the wins they need to stay in the top-flight, starting against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday. 

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce gestures during the Premier League match with West Bromwich Albion
Image: Allardyce has urged Sunderland to keep their run of clean sheets going

"Our efforts to try and win the game last Sunday (versus Arsenal) were very, very good, particularly in the second-half. But we just lacked that clinical finish that we were looking for and it would have been a fantastic 1-0 victory for me. But in saying that, the performances are still there," Allardyce added.

"Everybody thinks Stoke will be really easy, I think it'll be really hard because I know Mark Hughes will be very, very upset about his players over the last three or four games - the way they have approached the game, their attitude, the results and how many goals they have conceded. 

"I know he will be trying his very best to try and get his team out there to win on Saturday. We'll need to be on top form again and try and be as clinical as we were at Norwich to achieve three points. That's what we must try and do. We must try and go, not quite all out, but we must take risks to try and win the game."

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